Why your business needs a playbook

Why your business needs a playbook

For years, successful sportspeople have used playbooks to memorise sequences of play to prepare for game day situations.

‘Plays’ are structured to help a team win (achieve their goal) and are generally offensive (attacking plays designed to score) or defensive plays (to hold ground or stop the other team scoring).

At different times and in different situations, plays are called for the players to execute, in order to advance their situation in a game. Consider an inbounds play in basketball where a team must score with 5 seconds to play in the game. The players in this situation know exactly where and when to move so that they have the best chance of scoring and winning. Similarly, consider a game of AFL where players know exactly how to set up from a dead ball situation to advance the ball or kick a goal.

A playbook for business should be no different. Once the clear goal is set, tactical plays are developed to help the team win. The plays should cover all situations and all possible variables. They should cover all aspects of business including sales, marketing and production.

As good as a playbook is, its success or failure largely rests on the ability of the team to execute the plays. Effective execution of plays in a playbook comes on the back of 4 key aspects:

Management having enough ‘game sense’ to call the right plays at the right time (strategy)

Having the right communication structures in place to communicate the plays to the players (meetings)

Having players with the right skills to execute the plays (recruitment)

Setting aside time to learn and practise the plays (training)

With an effective playbook and these 4 elements in play, your business will have the greatest chance of being in front when the siren sounds.

For further advice on building your business contact us on 08 8334 0600.